Engine.



No. 887,855. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. I. A. SHARPNEGK. ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22,1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. SIIARPNECK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF NINETY ONE-HUNDREDTHS IO REINHOLD REICHARDT AND LEE O. GILLILAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed April 22, 1907. Serial No. 369,421.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK A. SHARPNECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in engines, and more particularly to engines of the rotating-cylinder., reciprocating-piston type, wherein the pistons reciprocate within cylinders mounted for bodily revolution about a stationary crank shaft.

One of the salient objects of my invention is to provide an engine of the character described, which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide an improved arrangement of cylinders and pistons whereby a compound effect may be secured to each cylinder.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved valve gearing for such an engine, and other and further objects of my invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts in section, of an engine embodying my invention Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a valve, indicated in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof; Figs'. 4 and 5 are enlarged details of an eccentric movement and a fluid pressure connection, suitable for employment in the engine.

Throughout the figures like numerals of I reference refer always to like parts.

In the drawing 10-10 indicate frames, supporting, and holding against rotation, the crank shaft 11, providedwith two cranks 12, i2 which may conveniently aline.. One end of the crank shaft 11 is preferably hollow, as indicated at 13 in Fig. 5, and is connected to the source of steam supply 14, an opening from the hollow portion of the shaft being afforded at 15.

Upon the crank shaft 11, are mounted for vrotation the cylinder structure, comprising preferably two pairs of cylinders, whereof the cylinders of each pair are arranged in alinement, and the pairs of cylinders as a whole are arranged at quartering -relation or at right angles to each other. The cylinders constituting each pair are identical in construction and I will, therefore, describe only one pair, whereof, 16 indicates one cylinder and 16 the other.

The cylinders and pistons are constructed to afford differential areas for the application of the working fiuid pressure upon opposite sides of the piston, and to this end the outer extremity of each cylinder is of relatively great diameter, as indicated at 17, and toward the axis of rotation is reduced in diameter, as at 18, the connecting shoulder 19 forming'the head of the high pressure side of the cylinder, and a suitable head 2O being pro vided in the low-pressure side of the cylinder. Cylinder 16 is similarly constructed, its parts being indicated by like numerals of reference dierentiated by the exponent prime The pistons of the two cylinders, which may be integrally connected, provide heads 22, 22 interfitting in the cylinder portion 17, 17, integrally connected hollow trunks 23, 23/ interfitting in the reduced portions 18,

18', such connected trunks being provided with slots 24, receiving the crank shaft 11. The opposite, connected pistons may be connected with the crank 12 by means of a single piston rod 25, suitably pivoted to one of the piston heads, as 22.

Steam is supplied to the various cylinders from a rotating main fitting 27, uponthe shaft 11, said fitting having therein a chamber 28, constantly communicating through orifice 15 in the shaft, with the primary source of steam supply, and said fitting being provided with four radiating supply pipes 29, one for each cylinder, each such supply ipe having therein a valve fitting 30, controling all the steam connections of the cylinder. To this end there are provided in connection with said fitting an exhaust pipe 31, a high ressure pipe 32 communicating with the c earance on the high pressure side of the piston, and a low pressure connection 33 communicating with the clearance on the low pressure side of the piston. Vithin the fitting 2O is arranged an oscillating valve 34, provided with a cutoff extension 35, and arranged for actuation through movement of the lever 36, the parts being so arranged in movement of valve lever 36 to one end of its throw cuts off pipe 27 and opens pipes 32 and 33 to intercommunication, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, while movement of the valve at the other handles 36 of the several controlling valvesand the eccentric ring, or strap 38, through bell-crank levers 3 9 mounted on brackets 40 provided on the piping connections 29, and

nks 41, 42 respectively connecting said bellcrank lever with the arm 36, and the ring 38. To provide for rotation of the eccentric ring 38, the connection of one link 42 thereto,

-may be made comparatively rigid, while to permit necessary flexibility between the valve mechanism and the eccentric rings, the remaining links 42 may be connected to the ring by ball and socket joints, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The operation of the device above described will be as follows: When the pistons are in the position shown to the left in Fig. 1, the controlling valves associated with cylinder structure 16, stand in the position to afford communication between the supply pipe 29 and the high pressure pipe 32, and between tlie low pressure pipe 33 and the exhaust pipe 31. Under such conditions steam flows into the high pressure end of the chamber 17, to act upon the relatively small annular surface exposed to such end of the piston head 32. At the same time in the o posite cylinder 16 connection between t e high pressure and low pressure pipes 32 and 33 is opened and the supply pipe 29 is cut off, so that previously introduced high pressure steam may flow to the low pressure side of the piston, to act, in conjunction with the steam introduced into the high pressure side of the cylinder 16, to force the pistons to the opposite ends of their respective cylinders, 't

e connection between the connected pistons and the crank arm 12 effecting a resultant half rotation of thecylinders with res ect to the crank. During such movement t e position of the ring 88 with respect to its eccentric is reversed, so that through the link and lever 'connection the positions of the valves are reversed, and the cylinder 16 is operated on its high pressure side, while in the cylinder 16 the high pressure steam is transferred to low pressure side and acts to assist in the next half rotation, the arrangement of the transfer connection and exhaust pipe, it will be observed, facilitates drainage and prevents accumulation of the water of condensation. It will be apparent, therefore, that during each revolution the cylinder structure received the four distinct impulses from the several cylinders, and that each imemploy a low pressure cylinder with high pressure steam.

While I have herein described one embodiment of my invention for purposes of disclosure, it will be understood that various changes in the construction may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, of the United States, is:

1. An yengine comprising a stationary crank shaft, balanced cylinders revoluble about said crank, pistons in said cylinders, each exposingv to the fluid action differential areas on opposite sides thereof, mechanical connections between the pistons and the crank shaft, steam connections between the high and low pressure ends of the cylinders, fluid supply and exhaust connections, and means for controlling the connections.

2. An engine comprising a stationary crank, balanced cylinders revoluble about said crank, connected pistons in said cylinder, each exposing differential areas to the fluid action on opposite ends thereof, mechanical connections between the pistons. and the crank, fluid supply connections to the high pressure side of each piston, transfer connections between opposite sides of each piston, exhaust connections for the low pressure side of each piston, and means controlling said connections to open the steam supply to the high pressure side of the piston and open the exhaust connections, and close the transfer connections of one cylinder, while in the other cylinder the steam supply and exhaust connections are inoperative and the transfer connections opened.

3. An engine comprising a crank, opposing cylinders, said crank and' cylinders being revoluble one with respect to the other, each cylinder providing a portion of large diameter and a portion of smaller diameter, is-

' tons in said cylinders each having a hea in the portion of larger diameter, and having hollow trunks in the portions of smaller diameter, connections between said crank and said pistons, means of fluid pressure sup ly to the side of the piston affording the smaller area, means of exhaust from the side of the piston of'larger area, and means for effecting connection between the opposite sides of said piston.

4. An engine comprising a stationary shaft, a rotatable cylinder structure, comprising a cylinder having opposite headsv of different areas, a piston presenting corresponding areas therein, a steam supply connection for the high pressure side of the cylinder7 an exhaust connection for the loW pressure side of the piston, a transfer connection between said sides of the piston and a single valve for said connections arranged to close the steam supply connection when opening the transfer connection7 and to open the steam supply and exhaust connections when closing the transfer connection.

5. An engine comprising a crank shaft7 and a cylinder structure, one rotatable relative to the other, said cylinder structure having a cylinder therein providing high and low pressure ends of different areas; a piston in said cylinder exposing to fluid action differential areas on opposite sides thereof; mechanical connections between the piston and crank shaft g fluid connections between the high and low pressure ends of the cylinder, fluid 'supply and exhaust connections for said cylinder, and means controlling the connections.

6. An engine comprising a shaft, and a cylinder structure, one rotatable relative to the other7 said cylinder structure comprising a cylinder having opposite heads of different areas; a piston presenting corresponding areas on opposite sides arranged therein7 a fluid supply connection for the side of lesser area of the piston; an exhaust connection for the side of greater area of the piston; a transfer connection between said sides of the piston, a single valve for said connections arranged to close the supply and exhaust connections when opening the transfer connection, and vice versa, and means for operating said valve.

In testimony whereof l hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. SHARPNECK.

L. O. GILLILAND, R. REICHARDT. 

